Chute



Sept. 2'?, w32. P. M. BURGESS CHUTE Filed Feb.

2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 27, 1932 i p v v xp.

`rennt M. BURGESS, or READING, MASSACHUSETTS CHUTE v Application led February 5, 1932. Serial No. 591,091.

This invention relates to a Vertical'chute employed to conduct material from an up-` per toa lower floor of a building, for eX,- ample, a hospital, the' chute being used to conduct soiled fabrics from upper floors to a laundry floor.

The invention relates particularly to the receiving portion through which material is inserted in the chute, said portion includingy a doorway communicating with the chute, and a movable door adapted to close and open the doorway.

@ne object of the invention is to provide, asa chute adjunct, a receiving portion inli?? cluding a door trame deiining a doorway,-

and adapted to be builtinto a vertical lwall with which a Vvertical chute is associated a doori'housing fixed to the door frame and n adapted to be built therewith into the wall,

5"-"- and a door slidable in Qguides in said frame and housing and maintained thereby in a path wit-hin the outer surface ofl the wall so that a door, when located below the top m" floor of a building, cannot be forced open by air pressure in the chute caused'by material; falling therein, the door being contamed in erator whose hands are occupied inv holding' a. mass of materialto be inserted in the chute.

Another object is to permit the convenient removal of the door and the door opening g5 means from the door frame and housing when repairs are needed.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

Ot the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciicationffj Figure 1 is al ragmental perspective view showing a portion of a wall, a portion of a chute associated therewith and portions of the chute adjunct, the door being closed.

l Figure 2 is a side view ofthe adjunct omtting the wall7 the door being closed.

floors.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 2 showing the adjunct built into the wall.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing separately the automatic door opener.

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing sep- 55. arately the door.

Figure 6 is a fragmental sideview showing the detent means. A

Figure 7 is a section on line Te-'7 of Fig-l ure 6. j Y

Figure 8 is a fragmental perspective view showing portions of the doornframe and wall.

Figure 9 is a sectional viewsimila-r to a portion of Figure 3 showing the door opened. v j

Figure 10 is a sectionon line 10-#10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is aV section on line 11-11 of Figure 9. v Y

Figure 12 is a fragmental perspective view 70 showing portions ofthe door frame and housing.

Figure 13 is a ragmental side view showing portions of the door opener.

Figure 14 shows in perspective and in sec- 75 tion portions of the door and the detent means.

Figure 15 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing portions of the chute, a portion of a vertical wall and portions of two so `The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawingsl designates ay vertical wall constituting a partition within a building, andl7 designates a vertical chute in fixed relationto the wall.

y The chute adjunct chiefly characterizing the invention includes a door frame 18 andV a door housing 19 fixed to and projecting 90 from one edge of the frame. l, Said frame and housing are `preferably'made of sheet metal and are built into the wall between the sides thereof. Y

The door. frame is provided with door guides 2O extending parallel withthe wall, and the housing with door guides 20a which are continuations of the guides 20. The door frame 18 includes an extension composed of a bottom portion 18EL and side portions 18h,V 100 4Q is movable in a slot 34 in the'door, and has said side portions being extended upward and forming end walls of the housing 19, as indicated by Figure 12.

The door frame and its extension define a doorway communicating with a lateral opening in the chute. Said adjunct includes also a sliding door 21 having runners movable in said guides, the door being adapted to alternately close the doorway as indicated by Figure 3, and open it as indicated by Figure 9, the door when opened being contained mainly in the housing. metal strips 22 attached as by screws 23 to opposite edge portions of the outer side of the door. The door is movable only in a path parallel with the sides of the wall, so that it cannot be forced outward from the wall by internal pressure in the chute, such pressure being exerted for example by a pis# ton-like mass of fabrics falling in the chute. If the door were hinged to swing outward and inward relative to the wall, it might be forced outward by air pressurewithin the chute, injure persons in its path, and cause other objectionable results.

I provide detent means adapted to release ably secure the door in its closed position, said means preferably including a detent lever 24 (Figure 6), fulcrumed at 25 in a recess in the door, and having a hook 26 which is forced by a spring 27 into engagement with a fixed catch 28 when the door is closed, said catch being a portion of the door frame at one end of a slot 29 therein.

The hook 26 may be manually retracted to release the door by a U-shaped handle'30,

having on one of its arms a studr31 pivoted to turn in a socket 32 (Figure 14)' in the door, and on its other arm a stud 33 which an extension 35 bearing on the shorter arm of the detent lever as shown by Figure 7.

Then upward pressure is exerted on the handle one end of the handle is raised, and the stud extension moves the lever 24 in the direction required to retract the hook 26', and release the door. The detent means therefore automatically locks the door in its closed position and is operable by an attendant to release the door. The illustrated form and arrangement of the handle 30 are such that upward pressure may be exerted thereon by a bundle of clothes held by the hands and arms of the attendant, whose hands do notl necessarily grasp the handle.- Cooperating with said ldetent means is an automatic door opener including means for raising the door into the housing when the l door is released. Said opener as here shown,

includes a cross bar 36 extending across Vthe opening between the portions 181 of the door frame extension and detachably secured thereto, for a purpose hereinafter appearing,

t. by` screws 37., connecting ears 38 on the cross barA with the'portions 18h. The door opener ywhen the latter is released.l

Said runners are also includes spring rotated flanged spools 39 journalled in bearings 40, fixed to the cross bar, and flexible suspending members 41, preferably metal tapes, fixed to said spools and to ears 42 on the lower end portion of the door. A portion of the spring 43 of one of said spools is shown by Figure 13. The springs have sufficient force to rotate the spools and cause the opening of the door As above stated it is not necessary for an attendant to grasp the handle, to cause the opening of the door.

The detachableconnection above described between the cross bar 36 and the door frame extension enables the opener and the door to be removed from the frame and housing in case repairs of the opener and the door, or either, are necessary. Y

rllhe door 21 :is provided at its lower and 85 upper ends with metal strips 46 in the samer plane with the runner strips 22. The lower strip 46 enters a groove 47 (Figure 7) in the door fra-me when the door is closed.

The door 21 is of such area that when the strips 22 and 46 are removed, the door is freely insertable in the door frame. Said strips are secured after the door is inserted, and are removed wheneverit is desirable to remove the door from the frame.

The receiving side of the door frame 18k fiares outwardly and has inclined external faces 44 (Figure 3), which Vare seated on inclined complemental faces on the material forming the outer side of the wall 16, as shown b v Figures 3 and 10, while said material` which may be mortar, is in a plastic condition.

The door frame is provided with anchoring flanges 45 projecting laterally from the inclined mouth faces 44 and embedded in the wall material as shown by Figures 3 and 10 while said material is plastic. Provision is thus made for forming a' neat and durable joint between 'the door frame and the wall, and for firmly interlocking said frame with the wall material when the latter is hardened. `As indicated diagrammatically by Figure 15, as many of the described adjuncts may be provided as there are iioors 50 in the building, the chute having side openings communicating with the doorways of the several adjuncts.

The door is closable by downward pressure on the handle 30, the closing operation tensioning the springs 43, and conditioning them for the next opening of the door.

It will be seen by reference to Figures 2 and 12 that the described adjunct is self contained, and is adapted to be rendered operative wholly by 'the opera-tion of installing itin a wall. `The adjunct therefore constitutes an article of manufacture relatingL t0 builders hardware.

cluding means for moving the door into thev housing when the door` is released by the detent means.

2. In combination, a vertical wall, a ver` tical chute in fixed relation to the wall, and a chute adjunct including a door frame defining a doorway communicating with the chute, a door housing projecting from one edge of the frame, said frame and housing being fixed in the wall between the sides thereof and. provided with door guides parallel with the wall, a sliding door movable on said guides to alternately open and close the doorway, automatic detent means adapted to releasably confine the door in its closed position, and an automatic door opener including means for moving the door into the housing when the door is released by the detentv means, said opener including a cross bar having means detacliably securing it to an extension of the door frame, spring rotated spools journalled in bearings on the cross bar, and fiexible suspending members fixed to said spools, and to the door,

3. In combination, a vertical wall, a vertical chute in fixed relation to the wall, and

Y a chute adjunct including a door frame, a

door projecting from one edge of the frame, said frame and housing being fixed in the wall between the sides thereof, and provided with door guides parallel with the wall, the door frame defining a doorway communicat-ing with the chute, and a sliding door movable on said guides to alternately close and open the doorway, the door frame including a flaring mouth having inclined external faces seated on inclined complemental faces on material forming the outer side of` the wall, said mouth having anchoring flanges projecting laterally from said inclined faces and embedded in the wall material.

4. In combination, a vertical wall, a vertical chute in fixed relation to the wall, and a chute adjunct ,including a door frame, `a door projecting from one edge of the frame, said frame and housing being fixed in the wall between the sides thereof, and provided with door guides parallel with the wall, the door frame defining a doorway communicating with the chute, and a sliding door movable on said guides to alternately V'close andopen the doorway, the doorA being provided with flanges detachably secured to its outer side,

and projectingoutward from the door inargin, 'two of said flanges constituting runners movable -in :guiding grooves formed in the door frame andhousing, and Ybeing detachable from the door to permit the installation andv removal thereof, a member of the door frame having. a groove adapted -toreoeive another of said flanges when'.` thel door isv closed. 1

`5. As anarticle of manufacture, a chute adjunct formedV to be built into a vertical wall and communicate with a vertical chute in` xed relation to said wall, said `adjunct comprising a door frame defininga doorway formed to extend through said. wall, a doorA housing projecting from one redge of the frame, said frame and housing having; door guides, automatic deteiitv means adapted to releasably connethe door in its closed position, and an automatic door opener supported by said frame and including means for moving the door into the housing when the door is released.

6. A chute adjunct as specified by claim 5, said opener including a cross bar having means detachably securing it to portions of the door frame, spring rotated spools journalled in bearings on the cross bar and flexible suspending members fixed to said spools and to the door.

7. A chute adjunct as specified by claim 5, said detent means comprising a two-armed lever fulciumed in the door and having a hook projecting below the door, kand automatically engageable with a catch on the door frame, and a handle including two arms, one of said arms being pivoted to the door to permit a swinging movement of the formed to extend through said wall, a door housing projecting from one edge of the frame, said frame and housing having door guides, and a sliding door movable on said Vguides to alternately open and close the doorway, the doorl entering the housing when opened, said door frame including a mouth havinginclined external faces formed to be seatedon inclined complemental faces on material forming the outer side of said material wall, and with anchoring fianges projecting laterally from said mouth faces and formed to be embedded in said material.

9.7As an article of manufacture, a chute adjunct Yformed to be.'k built into a vertical wall? and communicate: With. avertical chute in fixed relation to said Wall,4 said adjunct comprising a doorframedelining a doorway` 5 formed tol extend through said Wall, a door housing projecting from one edge of the frame, said frame and housing having door guides, and a= sliding door movable on said Y guides to alternately open and close the door- Way, the door entering the housing When opened, said door being of smaller area than the doorway and provided With flanges detachably secured to its outer side and projeeting outward from opposite edges of the door,. said flanges constituting runners movable' in the guide in the frame and housing, thefdetachment ofsaicl flanges permitting the installation andremoval of the door.

In testimony whereof I have afHXed my signature. PEARL M. BURGESS- 

